The invention relates to an optical instrument, in particular to an endoscope or technoscope, having a shank, a viewing window arranged close to the free shank end, a handle part on the other end of the shank, and an opto-electrical transducer. The transducer is rotatably arranged within the shank.
With such instruments, which are typically provided with lateral viewing optics, i.e., having an optics viewing window arranged at an angle, for example of 30°, to the longitudinal axis, it is within the state of the art to arrange the opto-electrical transducer, typically a CCD-element arranged in a shank, in a rotatable manner. Specifically, the operating person may change the rotational angle of the CCD-transducer to the instrument, typically from the handle part with a wheel or the like located there. This rotational capability is particularly provided to enable alignment of the picture displayed on the monitor in an upright manner again, after the rotation of the instrument about its longitudinal axis. Such an instrument is known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,836.
Such optical instruments are subjected to high temperatures in a sterilizing device, when applied in the medical field as an endoscope, or in the case of technoscopes, high temperatures may also occur on operation. On the one hand, it is necessary to completely encapsulate the whole instrument with the optics located therein and also any moving parts, but on the other hand, however, it is necessary to provide a sufficient play with regard to the moving parts, so that length changes of the components occurring on account of the temperature fluctuations may be accommodated. An axial play between the CCD-element and the end viewing window may, however, lead to the imaging definition being influenced in an unfavorable manner. With such endoscopic instruments, it is therefore within the state of the art to provide means for the axial adjustment of the CCD-element with respect to the optics. However, one should also take note that with this, whenever possible, the instrument should be hermetically sealed, and with regard to design is quite complicated, and also prone to breakdown.